Shade stem for clusters



Aug. 12, R popp SHADE STEM FOR CLUSTERS Filed March 18, 1929 Patented Aug. 12, 1930 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE RUDOLF POPP, or VALPARAISO, INDIANA, AssIGNoR TO MCGILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A coRoRA'rIo or INDIANA SHADE STEM FOB cLUsrERs Application filed March 18, 1929. Serial No. 348,010.

My invention relates to a shade supporting means for supporting lamp shades on table or floor lamps, and has for its principal object the provision of an adjustable stem whereby the shade may be moved up and downrelative to the light cluster in order to obtain the proper position of the shade for the lighting effect desired.

It is also the purpose of this invention to provide a novel means of obtaining the adjustment of the shade in such manner that once the shade is properly aligned vertically with the lamp cluster, the adjustment up and down on the shade will not cause disalignment of the shade.

In regard to this latter feature, I have experienced considerable diiiiculty in obtaining a construction whereby the shade could be adjusted vertically through a considerable range without causing it to get out of. line. The novel means whereby this result is accomplished will be hereinafter more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein one form of the invention is shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section of a lamp cluster and shade having my improved adjustable shade stem associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, I show a stem 5 of a floor or table lamp having the two lamps 7 and 8, and having therein a body 9 into which the shade supporting stem 10 is screw-threaded. A knurled not 11 is utilized to clamp the body 6 tightly against the body 9 as is clear from Fig. 1. The shade 12 of the lamp is supported by means of the flanged member .13 screw-threaded on the top of the rod 14 which fits within the member 10 and is vertically adjustable with respect thereto as will be described more fully hereinafter. The finishing knob 15 serves to clamp the shade 12 against the member 13 and hold it securely in place. A

The member 10 is made of a flat piece of solid metal such as brass which is first blanked mounted thereon a supporting body 6 holding I out and slotted to provide the slot 16 and is then-rolled up into the tubular form shown after which it is screw-threaded at the lower end. i This manner of making the member 10 gives a smooth substantially inner bore which is quite essential in this device. The rod.14 is, as shown by Fig. 3, sutficiently smaller than the member 1(, to slide freely therein, and has a screw threaded aperture 17 receiving the adjusting screw 18 havingco the knurled knob. This screw 18 serves to hold the rod 14 in any adjustable position within'the tube 10 and within the limits of the slot 16. v

The smooth tubular bore, of the tube 10,

aids materially in preventing disalignment of the shade with the lamp but I find it also necessary, in obtaining perfect alignment witha-sufficiently loose fit between the members 10 and 14 to permit easy adjustment, to provide an additional feature which will now be described;

By referring to Fig. 2, itwill be noted that the top of the tubular member 10 is crimped inwardly at 20 and 21 so as to form a substantially three point bearing against the rod 14 at the extreme top of the memberlO. This three point bearing also insures the positioning of the rod against one particular wall of the tubular member 10 at the top, 8 that is, at the point 22 indicated in Fig. 2.

Now by comparison of Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted thatthe tendency of the screw 18 is to force the rod 14 against the wall of the tube 10 that is opposite the seam 23. This seam-23 is also opposite the point 22 at the top of the member 10. From this it is clear that at any point to which the rod 14 is adjusted, the screw and the crimped portions 20 and 21 will align the rod 14 vertically with 9 one wall of the member 10; so that, if the shade is once aligned in one position, it will be aligned in any other position to which it is adjusted.

From the above description, it is thought that the construction and advantages of this device will be clear to those skilled in this art; and, having thus described my invention, what I claim as new andv desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shade supporting stem for lamp clusters comprising a pair of telescoping members adjustable longitudinally relative to each other, one of said members having means whereby it may be mounted on a cluster body and the other member having means for supporting a lamp shade thereon, said members having cooperating means thereon for vertically aligning them throughout their range of adjustment, said cooperating means comprising means at the top of the member mounted on the cluster body and means adjacent the lower end of the shade supporting member forcing the inner member tightly against one Wall of the outer member.

2. A shade supporting stemfor lamp clusters comprising a pair of telescoping members adjustable lon itudinally relative to each other, one of said members having means whereby it may be mounted on a clusterbody and the other member having means for supporting a lamp shade thereon,

V the outer of said members having a slot therein and the inner member having an adjusting .screw projecting through said slot and adapted to force said inner member against one wall of said outer member to hold it in position, and said outer member having at the end thereof means for holding the inner member against said Wall at that point whereby it insures vertical alignment of said members.

In'witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of February, A. D.,

. RUDOLF 'POPP. 

